"That trailer is a tiny slice," Concord Exclusive Interview
Summary
TLDRConcord, a 5v5 hero shooter from Firewalk Studios, is set to launch on PS5 and PC this year, following a July beta. Developed by veterans from Destiny, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends, Concord offers immersive gameplay and a rich narrative through weekly vignettes. Despite initial trailer criticism, the team emphasizes the importance of gameplay feel and character depth, with a focus on responsive controls and a lore-rich universe. Monetization will be through cosmetic items, ensuring the core experience remains accessible.
Takeaways
- đź Concord is a 5v5 hero shooter developed by Firewalk Studios, featuring a team with experience from Destiny, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends.
- đ The game is set to release on PS5 and PC later this year, with a beta version scheduled for July.
- đ„ Initial public reactions to the game's trailer were mixed, with some criticism regarding its tone and dialogue.
- đ”ïžââïž The developers emphasize that the trailer only shows a small part of what the game offers and express excitement for players to experience the full game.
- đ Concord has been in development for five years, aiming to provide immersive and fluid gameplay with a strong focus on character depth and backstories.
- đ„ The game's design philosophy revolves around the 'round the corner' test, ensuring players can make quick combat decisions based on character abilities and advantages.
- đš The art and character design are deeply intertwined with gameplay, with each character's appearance and backstory influencing their abilities and playstyle.
- đ Concord introduces a unique storytelling element through weekly vignettes that explore character backstories and the game's narrative.
- đïž The game will have a one-time purchase price of $40, with additional cosmetic items available for purchase that do not affect gameplay.
- đŒ Firewalk Studios is committed to supporting the game post-launch with new content, including maps, modes, characters, and ongoing narrative development.
- đ Despite comparisons to Overwatch, the team believes Concord has a unique identity and gameplay experience that sets it apart from other hero shooters.
Q & A
What is the game Concord about and who is developing it?
-Concord is a 5 versus 5 hero shooter game developed by Firewalk Studios. It is set to be published on PS5 and PC later this year, with a beta version coming in July.
What is the background of the team behind Concord?
-The team behind Concord consists of veterans from renowned shooter games like Destiny, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends, indicating a strong expertise in the genre.
How long has Concord been in development?
-Concord has been in development for half a decade, showcasing a long-term commitment to the project.
What was the public's initial reaction to the game's trailer?
-The initial public reaction to the game's trailer was mixed, with some criticizing its tone and dialogue.
How does Kim Crin, Concord's director of IP, respond to the criticism of the trailer?
-Kim Crin emphasizes that the trailer only shows a small part of the game and expresses excitement for the full experience to be in players' hands, hoping that the depth of characters will unfold over time.
What is the core identity of Firewalk Studios in terms of game development?
-Firewalk Studios' core identity lies in creating immersive and fluid gameplay that feels tremendous in players' hands, with every action being responsive.
How does the game ensure players can make quick decisions in a competitive environment?
-The game uses the 'round the corner' test to ensure that players can make split-second fight or flight decisions based on the characters they encounter.
What is the significance of the character design in Concord?
-The character design in Concord is significant as it helps players quickly understand who they are up against and what they bring to the table, enhancing the gameplay experience.
How does Concord incorporate storytelling into its gameplay?
-Concord uses vignettes, weekly shorts that explore character backstories, the season's overarching narrative, and more, to incorporate storytelling into the gameplay.
What is the monetization strategy for Concord?
-Concord will be released for $40 or around ÂŁ35, and it plans to monetize through cosmetic items that do not affect gameplay, while keeping all gameplay relevant content and narrative free for players.
How does the development team approach the comparison of Concord to other games like Overwatch?
-The team acknowledges the comparisons but believes that Concord has a unique identity and gameplay experience that sets it apart from other games in the genre.
What is the philosophy behind Concord's moment-to-moment shooting gameplay?
-The philosophy is centered on creating a gameplay foundation that feels good to play, with a focus on responsiveness and immersive player experiences.
How does Concord plan to sustain itself in the ever-changing gaming market?
-Concord plans to focus on a solid foundation and consistent vision, with an emphasis on fun and engaging gameplay that can be expanded and adapted over time.
Outlines
đź Introduction to Concord: A Hero Shooter with a Rich Narrative
Concord is a 5v5 hero shooter developed by Firewalk Studios, set to launch on PS5 and PC with a beta version in July. The game has been in development for five years and features a team with experience from Destiny, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends. Despite initial criticism of its tone and dialogue from a trailer, the developers, Kim Crin and John Weiss, emphasize the importance of gameplay and character depth. They highlight Concord's unique selling point as its character-driven narrative, delivered through weekly vignettes that explore the characters' backstories and relationships, which they believe will unfold over time and engage players on a deeper level.
đ ïž The Development Philosophy and Competitive Game Environment
Firewalk Studios focuses on creating immersive and fluid gameplay that feels responsive in players' hands. The 'round the corner' test ensures that characters are designed for quick decision-making in a competitive PVP environment. The narrative and gameplay are intertwined, with character design influenced by their backstory and personality. The developers discuss how the art and gameplay teams collaborate to create authentic characters, using the example of 'Starchild', whose weapon and abilities are designed to reflect his narrative and personality. The game's lore is built into the world and characters, offering an enhanced experience for those interested, without forcing it upon players who prefer to focus solely on gameplay.
đ Lore and Monetization Strategy for Concord
Concord's narrative is an optional layer for players who wish to delve deeper into the game's universe. The 'Galactic Guide' and weekly vignettes provide additional lore and character stories outside of gameplay. The developers discuss the importance of building a strong foundation for the game before expanding with additional content. Concord will launch with a $40 price tag, including 16 characters, 12 maps, and six modes, with seasonal updates offering new content. Cosmetic items will be available for purchase, but they will not affect gameplay, ensuring that the core experience remains accessible to all players.
đ Future Plans and Addressing Comparisons with Other Games
The development team at Firewalk Studios is dedicated to creating a solid foundation for Concord, with plans for future expansion based on player feedback and interest. They are not bothered by comparisons to other games like Overwatch, as they believe Concord has a unique identity and gameplay experience. The team is focused on delivering a high-quality release and is prepared to build upon the foundation they have established. They express excitement about the potential for growth and the opportunity to explore the game's universe further, with a commitment to staying true to the game's core vision.
đș Upcoming Beta and Additional Media Coverage
Concord is set to release later this year, with an exclusive 10-minute footage video and a Q&A session addressing community questions available on the VGC channel. The developers encourage viewers to subscribe to VGC and check out their video game podcast for more insights into the gaming world. The message concludes with a reminder of the upcoming beta in July and a sign-off from Jordan Medler.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄConcord
đĄFirewalk Studios
đĄBeta
đĄIP
đĄVignettes
đĄGameplay Foundation
đĄRound of the Corner Test
đĄEnvironmental Storytelling
đĄGalactic Guide
đĄLive Services
đĄMonetization
Highlights
Concord is a 5 versus 5 hero shooter developed by Firewalk Studios, featuring veterans from Destiny, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends.
The game will be published on PS5 and PC, with a beta release scheduled for July.
Concord has been in development for five years and was showcased at Sony's state of play presentation.
The game's trailer received mixed reactions, with some criticism regarding its tone and dialogue.
The developers emphasize that the trailer only shows a small part of the game's extensive development.
Concord's IP and characters will be explored through weekly vignettes, revealing their depth and backstories.
The game's core identity focuses on immersive and fluid gameplay that feels responsive in the player's hands.
The 'round the corner' test ensures characters are balanced for quick, competitive decision-making.
Environmental storytelling on characters is achieved through their design, accessories, and color schemes.
Vignettes are an integral part of Concord's narrative, offering a layered storytelling approach.
The game's lore and narrative are optional layers for players who wish to delve deeper into the game world.
Concord's development team works in unison, with gameplay, narrative, and art influencing one another.
The game will launch with 16 characters, 12 maps, and six modes, with seasonal content updates.
Monetization will focus on cosmetic items, with all gameplay-related content and updates included.
The developers aim to create a strong foundation for Concord, with room for future growth and expansion.
Comparisons to Overwatch are acknowledged, but Concord is intended to have a unique identity.
The team is committed to supporting Concord post-launch with ongoing content and updates.
The life service model for games is a concern, but Concord is built on a solid foundation for longevity.
The developers are excited to see how players receive the game and its narrative delivery methods.
Transcripts
Concord is a 5 versus 5 hero shooter
from firewalk Studios the game will be
published on PS5 and PC later this year
with a beta coming in July the team
behind the game is made up of
powerhouses in the shooter genre with
veterans from Destiny Call of Duty and
Apex Legends among them concard has been
in development for half a decade the
public got its first real look at the
game earlier this year during Sony's
state of play presentation the trailer
which showed off the game's cast didn't
go down massively well with some
criticizing its tone and dialogue well
we've now had three hours to play the
game and the chance to speak to Kim crin
Concord director of Ip and John Weiss
nusi lead character designer on the game
about concord's plans for the future the
gameplay philosophy and that
controversial trailer yeah that trailer
that moment is such a tiny slice of
everything that we've been working on
for years and years and years we're
excited for the game and for the IP to
be the game to be in people's hands the
IP to be in people's minds um I think
I'm personally very excited for the IP
for folks to delve into the galactic
guide if they're if that is something
they choose to do for these vignettes to
come out on a weekly basis you'll start
to fall in love with the depth of the
characters that's something that you
learn week to week that's their
personalities will unfold their
relationships will unfold for you their
backstories none of that is something
you can get in a in a tiny little slice
of it but that's a start that's that's
there there's something there so so I'm
glad folks watched it I'm glad they
participated and I can't wait for them
to see more more to see everything that
is there part of the core identity of
firewalk in the games that that we make
and will hopefully continue to make is
um is our gameplay Foundation uh we have
a team that is uniquely skilled at
building building very immersive and
fluid gameplay that just uh feels
tremendous in the player's hands the
second they pick up the controller the
game just comes to life and that like
every action is responsive and I've been
a player of these games my whole life
these games are what I love to play uh
and I know that it's all about how does
it play right and and so that's like for
me that's the moment I want players to
come into the Beta uh if they don't like
it after the beta that's fine um but I
think yeah the the initial reaction is
all about like how does it actually play
in your hands so with such a focus on
unique characters and a Fantastical
setting how does that translate to a
competitive game environment when
players have to be able to make
decisions without a moment's hesit
our sort of like not fancy designer term
for it is the round of the corner
test but it's an actual term that we use
as we develop these characters and sort
of the the idea behind it is that um
it's a competitive PVP game which means
that for players to be competent they
need to be able to make split-second
fight ORF flight decisions um it's an
asymmetrical game so some characters
have advantages that other characters
don't have um when two characters Round
the Corner into a combat space we need
players to be able to immediately make a
an intelligent fight ORF flight decision
um and so they need to see that
character and get a really strong read
and understand who I'm up against versus
what I'm bringing to the table do I
fight or do I peace out and and try to
take this you know like find an
advantage in another way yeah and I
would say even given so that that they
passed this Round the Corner test
there's so much that we can do in a
shape of a character the I'll call it
environmental storytelling on a
character there's so many ways and we
have an brilliantly amazing art teams
from the concept art all the way all the
way down uh and the the kinds of
Storytelling that we can put on the
shape of any character it's incredible
the ideas that our artists come up with
to help represent some of the Back
stories the ideas that our artists come
up with that feed into the back stories
just like John was saying that's what's
so cool about this process is neither
gameplay nor narrative nor art drives we
all steer together and we find each idea
influences the whole so it is very
iterative it's very building it's very
layered and so yeah we can we can add a
lot of Personality through where they
dress What accessories they're wearing
what color their skin is yeah one of
concord's most unique selling points is
its vignettes which will dish out the
game's narrative these weekly shorts
will explore character backstories The
Season's overarching narrative and more
we wanted to know about the
implementation of such storytelling
devices and how it fits into genre where
plenty of players will just simply want
to play the game yeah I think that's
great too so the way we approach the the
lore and the narrative to this is that
it is an added layer for folks that want
to to invest in it and it's there and
you know it will come across to
everybody who's playing you'll you'll
get little pieces even if it's not your
jam and that's totally fine if it's not
and that's one of the reasons that we
build it completely out of that gameplay
seat it starts there it starts with that
Vision that fantasy for how you feel
when you pick up the controller and
everything builds of that so even if
you're somebody who uh you know you're
just there for the gameplay we hope that
the flavor that you do absorb enhances
that and it and it and it it just feels
like it's part of that package and
ideally if if you're there for the
gameplay it just runs in the background
and it's so seamless because it's built
into those characters in the world it's
built into the world and so if that's if
that's not where you want to invest you
don't have to if it is where you want to
invest we do give you the option and
that's one of the reason that the
galactic guide is outside of the matches
as well so it's the lore for our entire
galaxy for the entire IP you can choose
to participate in that or it can just
exist there and you you know it's just
this Galaxy and you happen to be playing
in it uh we're really excited for that
and then the vignettes as well uh
they'll build out the stories of all of
these characters uh and and that is opt
in it's all tied together as well like
the gamep play is obviously there it's
the it's the thing that players are
going to see and feel uh the second they
step into the game but the our approach
to building these characters um were the
the whole team is involved creatively at
all points um it creates opportunities
for the gameplay to be enhanced by the
details of the character uh like for
example um as we were developing
Starchild we started with uh a Berserker
a battle rager that was it we were just
trying to make a character that that
that feels like a Berserker and plays
like uh like a menacing you know active
battle rager and as we're building this
character over time and all the teams
are contributing okay what kind of
weapon does he have okay probably a
shotgun that's a good you know Close
Quarters like dominant weapon and the
art team makes this this shotgun that's
got a spike on it um and then so I was
like oh that's that's the coolest thing
I've ever seen um and so then it's like
okay well how can we how can we use that
with gameplay um so we make his melees
are all about swinging that Spike and
then we ended up giving him a whole
dedicated power melee button that is
this sort of like raw
visceral uh swing of that shotgun he
just takes his gun and he hits you with
um and that all came from uh all the
teams working together and going back
and forth and you know the the the
concept art team probably wouldn't have
made the shotgun that way if Kim's team
hadn't you know built up The Narrative
of who that character is and where they
come from and this is how they fight um
so it's it's all the things working
together um and it just it it it gets
elevated on all levels and it makes the
characters feel more authentic yeah and
he's a battle poet too yeah I think
we're playing in a pretty unique space
here uh and really like like John was
saying it started so much together there
was never there was never a time when
this narrative uh and this IP and the
lore wasn't going to be part of what we
were developing we were just looking for
the best ways to roll that out to
players so it it actually very uh
genuinely built out of like all right
these characters are becoming real
people how do we want folks to have a
chance to fall in love with them how do
we get that information out there this
galaxy is a real Galaxy how are we going
to allow players to explore that so
there comes the galactic guy now you can
see the whole galaxy you can visit not
just the worlds that you're going to
play on map but a bunch of other worlds
that build out the hundreds of years
history of our galaxy all right these
characters they mean something star
child just to keep on that example he's
from callous he's from the blood tree
Forest the ancestors are buried in these
trees and he he goes through this ritual
to earn that diamond skin that he rage
Rush rushes with what is he like when
he's just hanging out okay so that's you
know that inps the idea of like what are
these people like when they're just
people and and then we get the vignettes
and we the reason that we're building
out the vignettes is so you can fall in
love with the characters and see what
they're like off the battlefield as well
so it just it came out of we want to
tell this story we want players to have
a chance to invest and we build out the
tools to allow us to do that and to
connect the vignettes are something that
uh was really developed really close to
the Inception we knew that's something
that we wanted to do we knew that was a
delivery system for narrative that we
wanted to pursue and that Weekly Cadence
has been something that we've been
committed to since the very beginning
that has been our idea our ideal our
Target uh and there has been a lot of
work put towards making sure we have we
can support it making sure the story is
there making sure that it was developed
in concert with the game that the that
all of the uh content that you'll see
season to season is represented in the
vignettes that you'll see season to
season uh and we're excited to see how
players uh receive that yeah there's a
lot of content in the pipe like like you
know we have a team that is has
experience with live Services games and
so you know we're focused on the launch
right now but we're also working very
hard on what's going to happen after
with the game launches while kcard has
some trappings of a free toplay title it
will be released for $40 around
ÂŁ35 we wanted to know what other ways
the game plans to monetize especially
when it has to fund a huge amount of
ongoing content with viget Concord we're
going to launch with our 16 characters
our 12 maps and our six modes and that's
all uh included content when you buy the
game seasonally we're going to provide
new maps new modes new characters and
this unfolding story so you'll get new
vignettes that are related to the
seasonal content new Galactic guide that
is unfolding the story all of that is
included all of the gameplay relevant
things there are purely cosmetic pieces
that you can choose to further customize
the look of your character uh that you
can choose to purchase every season that
content will also come out for you but
those do not affect gameplay the things
that you need to play the game the
elements that you need to know the story
The vignettes all of that because we
believe so strongly that that full
experience should be available to all of
our players so yes if you purchase
things that are purely cosmetic you know
well the Galaxy of Concord we really
designed to be um a foundation to start
from and I think I mentioned this but
it's really important to us that it
supports our players delving as deep as
they want to for as long as we're lucky
enough to have them with us and part of
that means being really true to the
thing that we're creating uh so we've
built out this lore this galaxy all
these worlds this Galactic history to
really mean something and we want to be
authentic to what Concord is and who
these people are and the worlds that
they're from and we still want players
to have fun too so the Cosmetic options
are going to um you know they're going
to lean into lore they're going to lean
into uh character personality and
they're also going to be you know fun
and expressive for players like Kim said
the fashion game is going to be strong
the F yeah I'm so excited to see the
combinations people come up with
different character concord's
development team is obviously stacked
with FPS talent and from the time we've
spent with the game that's very obvious
with such a heavy narrative Focus we
wanted to switch gears and ask about the
philosophy behind concord's momentto
moment shooting the gameplay Foundation
was a huge emphasis on the game it was
one of the things that made me want to
work there you know as a game play
designer uh knowing that um the the
founders of this studio were building a
team made of veterans who know how to
make good game play uh when I saw the
team that was going there and I heard
the vision for the game this it's where
I had to work it's absolutely where I
had to work um and so yeah that that
commitment to the gameplay foundation
and making sure that it felt as good as
we know it could feel to play the game
um was
was important before any code had been
written uh and it remains important now
up until like the final days before the
game comes out and as we look to the
Future what are we going to expand on
what are we going to build on there's
like there's so much cool stuff that we
didn't get to I mean it it it really
depends on what direction we want to go
um there's there's a ton of
whiteboarding some of it is in various
stages of
completion um you know we're just hyper
focused on just having a really great
solid release inviting the players into
our world seeing what they're excited
about doing lining that up with our
various whiteboards and going all right
that way that's execute yeah yeah like
any hero conord has faced a fate
amount of comparisons to other games so
what does firewalk think of all those
OverWatch
comparisons team yeah I think you know
uh Kim said it Kim said it well right
where um the reveal what people have
seen so far is just such a small slice
of of the game and I don't I think the
game speaks for itself when players get
their hands on it um I'm not bothered by
that at all I mean OverWatch is a great
game and that team did some incredible
stuff for the uh the genre um and I at
the same time I I strongly believe that
our game has an identity that is unique
to itself and that it plays like nothing
else out there we knew what we wanted to
do from the very beginning um and we
laid out the plan and it's been a matter
of working really hard to deliver on
that plan for many many years um yeah
and I think it has been it's but we've
stayed core to what we what we set out
to do Concord looks like the Concord we
hope with room to grow into the we had
big Ideas uh that that obviously there
we had to build a strong Foundation
First and that's what we've done and we
hope to continue building but that
strong Foundation is Concord it's what
Concord has been the life service spaces
on forgiving with games seemingly shut
down as quickly as they release so does
the team worry that in an everchanging
gaming Market that the life service ship
might be sailing game development is
full of worry it's full of worry uh but
yeah as Kim said um you know the the
vision for Concord has been consistent
and um I'm really glad that we didn't uh
we didn't try to do anything beyond just
a really solid foundation just something
that is uh simple to understand makes
sense to players and is just fun fun fun
just likeing so good to play working on
that Foundation um I'm really glad we
didn't call the shot because it means
that we can expand and we can Flex
Concord releases later this year with a
beta coming in July if you'd like to see
10 minutes of exclusive footage from
Concord check out our other video on the
channel we also have a Q&A with your
questions answered about the game until
next time be sure to subscribe to VGC
and check out VGC a video game podcast
whatever you get your podcasts I'm
Jordan medler see you later
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